The present invention relates to a terminal and a support structure therefor used for example in sockets for freely-detachably mounting an electrical component such as a CPU on a substrate.
PGA (Pin Grid Array)-type sockets, which are called LIF (Low Insertion Force) or ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) sockets, are used when freely-detachably mounting on a substrate an electrical component such as a CPU is desired. This type of socket has a flat shaped housing with a plurality of openings formed on the surface thereof, and a cover plate that covers the surface of the housing and that has a plurality of through holes formed thereon communicating with the openings. In addition, in the openings, metallic terminals are respectively installed.
When installing the electrical part, for example, the electrical part is mounted on the cover plate, and the pins projecting from the electrical part are inserted into the openings via the through holes. At this point, the pins are positioned at one side of the terminals, and both are separated. Next, when the cover plate is moved in the direction towards the other side along the surface of the housing, the pins in the openings contact the terminals by being pushed in the direction towards the other side by the cover plate, and the pins connect to the terminals. When removing the electrical part, the cover plate is moved in the first direction, and after the terminals are separated from the pins, the pins are extracted from the openings and the through holes.
However, in the conventional terminal described above, because the engaging part is directly formed on the end of the supporting part, the force acting on the engaging part, when the above pin is attached to or released from the engaging part, and the stress produced on the engaging part, when the engaged with the pin is transmitted directly to the supporting part, and as a result, cracks form in the welds that anchor the supporting part and the substrate, and there is the concern that damage will occur to the connection between the terminal and the substrate. In consideration of this problem, an object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of defective connections between the terminal and the substrate due to force transmitted to the terminal.
The present invention is a terminal formed on a housing on which an electrical part is mounted, fixed in the opening that receives one of the pins projecting from this electrical part, and connected to this pin inserted in this opening while the electrical part is mounted on this housing, characterized in comprising a supporting part on the housing, an engaging part that is formed on the end side of the supporting part and engages with the pin, and a branched part that branches from a side of the supporting part and connects with a substrate that supports this housing.
Here, this engaging part is preferably formed at the end of a connecting part, which is formed by bending the end of the supporting part. In addition, further preferably, the side surface of the supporting part opposite to the curved side of the bending part abuts the wall of said opening.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodiments that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific apparatus, system, and instrumentalities disclosed. Below, the embodiments of the invention will be explained referring to the figures in which:
FIG. 1 is an upper perspective drawing showing an example of the structure of the terminal according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an upper view along the arrow I in FIG. 3 showing an example of the terminal mounted on the housing according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional drawing along line IIIxe2x80x94III in FIG. 2 showing an example of the terminal mounted on the housing according to the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional drawing along line IVxe2x80x94IV in FIG. 2 showing an example of the terminal mounted on the housing according to the present invention.